In an unfortunate incident near the Fullerton Municipal Airport, a small plane tragically crashed into the roof of a warehouse building, killing two people and injuring 19 others.
Smoke could be seen billowing from the damaged roof of the building, located on the 2300 block of West Raymer Avenue, following the crash that occurred around 2 p.m. this past Thursday. Eyewitnesses recounted hearing a loud explosion before emergency services arrived at the scene. The crash site was identified as the Michael Nicholas Design Factory, a business in the area.
The aircraft involved was identified by authorities as a home-built Van’s Aircraft RV-10, which is equipped with four seats. Although details about the number of occupants in the plane remain unclear, local law enforcement suggested that the plane’s pilot appeared to be attempting to return to the airport shortly after takeoff.
The aftermath of the accident resulted in substantial injuries to 19 employees working within the warehouse, of whom 11 required hospitalization, while eight were treated at the scene and subsequently released. Information regarding the condition of those hospitalized has not been disclosed.
Mark Anderson, a witness at the scene, described the chaos following the crash, noting that ‘People are just shaken over the situation. It was just a large boom, and then one of the people went out and said, “Oh my gosh, the building’s on fire.”‘
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are leading the ongoing investigation into the crash. The NTSB will handle all updates concerning the incident, seeking to understand the factors that contributed to this tragic event.
This incident comes not long after another aviation mishap in November near the same airport, when a small plane collided with a tree on Gilbert Street, resulting in minor injuries to two individuals.
Fullerton Municipal Airport, known as the only general aviation airport in Orange County, is situated near major thoroughfares, the 5 and 91 freeways, approximately six miles from Disneyland in Anaheim.
The community is grappling with the aftermath of this devastating event as investigators work to uncover the underlying causes. As this situation develops, updates from the FAA and NTSB will be crucial to understanding the full scope of the tragedy.
